Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> November 11, 2002

Michael Silton – Rainmaker Systems Inc (rmkr)

MICHAEL SILTON is Chief Executive Officer of Rainmaker Systems, Inc. He founded the company in 1991 with the vision to dramatically improve software customers' experiences with the products they were using. Initially, the business focused on making hard-to-find software more accessible through a first-of-its-kind software catalog. Recognizing that technology companies faced serious challenges in building better customer relationships while staying focused on their core business, he extended the company's business to provide customer relationship management services on an outsourced basis in 1995. Since 1997, when he became CEO of Rainmaker, the company has been exclusively focused on providing customer relationship management services to technology companies. Prior to Rainmaker, Mr. Silton led marketing at MAI, a half billion dollar hardware manufacturer with an extensive services organization. Before that, he was COO of a private software company, which was the leading provider of ERP solutions to soft goods manufacturers. His early career included various management roles at software publishers and resellers. Profile
TWST: Could we begin with a brief historical sketch of Rainmaker

Systems, Inc., and a picture of things as they are now?

Mr. Silton: Rainmaker is the leading outsource provider of sales

and